Weekly Newsletter

Honolulu CC offers expanded Tolkien knowledge

Associate Professor of English, LeiLani Hinds, has been teaching Tolkien for a while now but for the first time there will be a chance for those outside of Honolulu to participate, having a chance to earn 3 credits of transfer-level college credit, writing intensive, for taking “English 257L J. R. R. Tolkien. Just as when Hinds first started her course, she is asking TheOneRing.net to spread the word. Read the full text of her letter after the link.

I am an English professor who has been a huge Tolkien fan since 1967, who loves the films, and who has been a daily visitor to theonering.net since 2002. Almost two years ago you allowed me to announce on The One Ring that I would be teaching a course on Tolkien for the first time at my college, Honolulu Community College in Honolulu, Hawaii.

I have since offered the course three times at my campus, and this Fall 2008 I will be teaching it again. This time, due to the interest expressed by theonering.net readers, there will be an option for students who are not in Honolulu to be able to take the course.

Students can earn 3 credits of transfer-level college credit, and writing intensive credit, for taking English 257L J. R. R. Tolkien. The course will focus on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, with parts of The Silmarillion brought in to provide background for a fuller understanding of The Lord of the Rings. We will look at Tolkien’s themes, characters, images, and symbols and see how his childhood, his interests in languages and Anglo-Saxon England, his wartime experiences, and significant cultural and historical events of the twentieth century contributed to creating his masterpiece.

We will also study the recent films by Peter Jackson and analyze how well they interpret Tolkien’s
books. As well as discussing the storyline, characters, and themes of the films, we will also pay attention to the music, costumes, art, and settings Jackson uses.

If anyone would like further information on the course or registration at HCC, they may email me at leilani@hcc.hawaii.edu. I will be delighted to answer any questions and provide assistance in registering for the course.

Thank you.

LeiLani Hinds
Associate Professor of English
Honolulu Community College

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